Blotter attachment for desks.



PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

J. I. HAYCRAFT.

BLOTTBR ATTACHMENT FOR DESKS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 27 1904.

N0 MODEL.

WWW

A 770mm rs iatented April 19, 1904. l

UN Tnn STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

JOHN IVAN HAYCRAFT, OF LINNEUS, MISSOURI.

BLOTTER ATTACHMENT FOR DESKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 757,921, dated Apri119, 1904.

Application filed January 27, 1904.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, J OHN IVAN HAYORAFT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Linneus, in the county of Linn and State of Missouri, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Blotter-Attachments for Desks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in blotter attachments for desks, being in the nature of a roller blotting attachment for desks, and especially for desks used for supporting hotelregisters and similar books; and the invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a desk embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the roller. Fig. 3 is a detail cross-section on about line 3 3 of Fig. 1, showing the desk, the roller journaled below the top of the desk, and the opening in the desk-top through which the blotting-strip passes. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the brackets for the roller. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the end plate of the roller. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the opposite end bracket for the roller. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the roller end plate which cooperates with the bracket shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one end of the roller-shaft. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the blotting-strip, and Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the bar fitting in the casing of the blotting-strip.

In the construction shown the desk A, which may preferably be especially adapted for supporting a hotel-register and which may be provided, surrounding its top B, with panels or spaces for advertisements, as well as for receptacles for ink-well, bell, tooth-picks, matches, envelops, and the like, has its top B provided near one edge with an opening B, through which .the blotter-strip C passes in the operation of the device. The sides A of the desk depend below the top B, and the roller D is journaled below such top B and within the space inclosed by the depending sides A, as

best shown in Fig. 3. This roller is of a spe- Serial No. 190,808. on) model.)

cial construction, having a shaft E. a tubular portion F, surrounding the shaft E, and a casing G, of tin or the like, fitting around the tubular portion F and having its edges bent downwardly within and forming a lining at g for an undercut groove f, which is formed in the outer side of the tubular portion F and extends from end to end thereof and forms a seat-for the bar employed in connecting the blotter-strip with the roller in the use of the invention, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

In one end the shaft E is provided with a longitudinal slot E, and a coil-spring H is wound around the shaft E. is secured at one end It to the tubular portion F and at its other end at h to the shaft E, preferably by projecting'such end of the springH into the slot E, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. At one end the roller has a plate D, provided. with a stud D which enters an opening 2' in the bracket I, which may be secured by screws or otherwise to the desk. At its other end the roller has a plate D provided with acentral tubular projecting portion 1), which journals on a bearing portion J on the bracket J, the latter being secured by screws or otherwise to the desk and being also provided with the projecting blade or lug J which enters the slot E in the shaft E, and so holds the said shaft from turning, it being understood that the tubular portion, with its casing, revolves about the shaft E and may be retracted by the action of the coil-spring H in the use of the invention, as presently described.

The blotter-strip C is secured at one end at C to the roller and is provided at its other end with the blotting-paper or other bibulous material C By preference the blotter-strip comprises the cotton or other fabric carrier portion G which has at one end (1 a casing to receive the end bar G which is fitted to the undercut groove f in the tubular portion F, so the blotter-strip can be readily connected with and disconnected from the. roller whenever it is desired to renew the blotter-strip or for any other purpose desired. On one side at its free end the fabric strip or section G is provided with the bibulous portion G which operates as a blotter, the fabric section giving sufficient strength to such bibulous portion to enable the winding of the blotter-strip on the roller by the action of the spring and the drawing of such strip from the roller in adjusting the blotter-strip to position for use, such as shown in Fig. 1. By this construction it will be noticed the blotter is always in position for use, cannot get out of theway, is retracted and incased when notin use, and can be quickly drawn to position for use either upon a book or upon a sheet of paper or envelop, or otherwise, as may be desired. At its free end the blotter-strip may be provided with any suitable handle device K, and

I also prefer to provide at such end a bar ex- .tending from side to side of the strip and having at its ends knobs or enlargements K to prevent the blotter-strip from being drawn entirely through the slot B in the use of the invention.

to the undercut groove of the roller, and a' bibulous section secured to the fabric section adjacent to the outer end thereof, said blotterstrip being arranged to operate through the slot in the desk-top and being provided at its free end with stop projections for limiting the retracting movement of the blotter-strip.

2. The combination of a retracting-roller,

a blotter-strip having a bibulous portion, and

a carrying portion to which said bibulous por'- tion is secured, and connections between the carrying portion and the retracting-roller.

3. The combination with the desk-top having a slot for the passage of the blotter-strip, of a retracting-roller and the blotter-strip secured to said roller and operating through the slot in the desk-top and having a bibulous portion, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a desk-top, a retract ing-roller and a blotter-strip secured to said roller, substantially as set forth.

5. The improvement herein described com prising a retracting-roller and a blotter-strip having a carrying portion secured to the roller, and a bibulous portion secured to said carrying portion.

6. The improvement herein described, comprising a retracting-roller consisting of a shaft, a tubular portion surrounding the shaft, a spring connection between said portion and the shaft, said tubular portion having a longitudinal groove, and a casing of tin or the like surrounding the tubular portion and bent at its edges in the groove of the tubular portion, the groove being adapted to receive and retain a connecting-bar, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a shaft, having an end slot, a tubular portion surrounding the shaft, a spring connection between the'shaft and tubular portion, and a bracket having a blade or lug entering the slot in the shaft, sub- Witnesses:

J. J. LEDWIDGE, E. F. FRIEDELL. 

